Breast surgery
Breast Fat Transfer in London
Breast fat transfer (also known as lipomodelling or lipoaugmentation) uses a patient’s own fat to enhance breast shape or volume. It is a natural, tissue-based option that many patients value as an alternative to implants — generally subtler and less predictable, but without implant-related maintenance.
Take this away with you — view this information as a printable fact sheet or download the PDF, to read at home or share with your family. It supports, but does not replace, your consultation with Miss Hunter.
About breast fat transfer
How it compares with implants
Implants give a more predictable change in volume but are a long-term commitment that may need maintenance surgery and carry their own implant-related issues. Fat transfer uses your own tissue and avoids those implant issues, but the amount of transferred fat that survives—the ‘take’—is less predictable.
Compared with breast implants, breast fat transfer produces a subtler and more limited increase in volume because only a relatively small amount of fat can be transferred at each stage. As a broad guide, an increase of approximately one to one-and-a-half cup sizes may be realistic for a suitable patient, although cup sizing varies and the result depends on the available donor fat and how much of the transferred fat survives. More than one treatment stage may be needed to achieve the desired result.
Fat is harvested and transferred through several very small incisions, generally only a few millimetres long, both at the donor sites and on the breast. These incisions are considerably smaller than the incision required to insert a breast implant.
Scope
Miss Hunter mainly performs fat transfer to the breast, for both breast enhancement and reconstruction. She does not routinely offer fat transfer to other areas of the body. Fat is collected by liposuction from carefully selected donor sites before being prepared and transferred to the breast.
In practice, fat is taken from a chosen donor area through small incisions using liposuction. It is then prepared so that the healthy fat is retained, and that fat is reintroduced into the breast in small amounts to build shape and volume gradually. Each fat droplet has to be surrounded by existing healthy breast tissue so that it can take up its own blood supply, which limits the amount that can be transferred in one session.
Procedure and recovery
Breast fat transfer is performed under general anaesthetic as a day-case procedure and typically takes around two and a half hours. Drains are not routinely required.
A supportive bra and compression garments over the donor sites should be worn day and night for six weeks. Patients are encouraged to walk straight away. Heavy lifting, driving and the gym should be avoided until bruising has subsided, which can take up to six weeks.
What to consider
Possible risks include infection, fat necrosis, the development of oil cysts or calcification, variable fat survival, asymmetry, donor-site contour irregularity and the possibility of repeat procedures.
Fat transfer can produce benign changes within the breast, such as fat necrosis, oil cysts or calcification, which may be visible on future breast imaging. You should tell the clinician or imaging team that you have previously had breast fat transfer.
Routine breast screening and other imaging can still proceed as planned. These changes have a different appearance from breast cancer and can usually be distinguished by experienced breast-imaging clinicians, although further imaging or assessment may occasionally be recommended.
Miss Hunter has an extensive library of before-and-after photographs of her own patients. These are reviewed during consultation rather than shown publicly, so that patient confidentiality is protected and relevant examples can be chosen for your individual discussion.
Common questions about breast fat transfer
Is the result permanent?
The fat that survives generally remains, so the enhancement is long-lasting, but not all of the transferred fat survives and results can be subtler than with implants. Miss Hunter explains what is realistic for you.
Will it affect my breast screening?
Fat transfer can produce benign changes within the breast that may be visible on future imaging. Tell the clinician or imaging team that you have previously had breast fat transfer. Routine breast screening and other imaging can still proceed as planned; these changes can usually be distinguished from breast cancer by experienced breast-imaging clinicians, although further assessment may occasionally be recommended.
How do I know if I am suitable?
Suitability is assessed by Miss Hunter at consultation, taking account of your aims, medical background, anatomy and what is realistically possible. Sophie can tell you whether an enquiry is the kind of work Miss Hunter takes on before you book.
Will I see before-and-after photographs?
Yes — during consultation. Relevant examples from Miss Hunter’s own patient library are reviewed with you privately. They are not published online, for confidentiality.
What does recovery involve?
A supportive bra and compression garments over the donor sites should be worn day and night for six weeks. You are encouraged to walk straight away. Heavy lifting, driving and the gym should be avoided until bruising has subsided, which can take up to six weeks.
Who do I contact afterwards?
Sophie coordinates queries before and after surgery and escalates to Miss Hunter directly where clinical input is needed.
Make an enquiry
Speak with Sophie Freud
Sophie, our Practice Manager, is the first person you’ll speak to. She coordinates enquiries, appointments, fees and practical arrangements, and stays a familiar point of contact before and after surgery.
